News:

"There is a terrible desperation to the increasingly pathetic rationalizations from the climate denial camp. This comes as no surprise if you take the long view; every single undone paradigm in history has died kicking and screaming, and our current petroleum paradigm 🐉🦕🦖 is no different. The trick here is trying to figure out how we all make it to the new ⚡ paradigm without dying ☠️ right along with the old one, kicking, screaming or otherwise." - William Rivers Pitt

iva Raw is expanding its reach by taking its cold-pressed juices on the road. The company has invested in an electric tuk-tuk — a three-wheeled vehicle used as a taxi in countries such as Thailand — to transport its offerings around town.

It is the only one of its kind in the Carolinas, says Scott Harris, owner. “It gives us a lot more flexibility,” he says.

Viva Raw got its start in October 2011. It currently operates a permanent location at the 7th St. Public Market in uptown Charlotte.

There’s also options such as the Green Harvest, with cucumber, apple, kale, collard greens, celery, lemon and parsley, or the Almond Bliss, with almond milk, bananas, almond butter, dates, cinnamon and cacao.

Raw foods including granolas and cashew-based cheeses are available as well.

The addition of the tuk-tuk makes it possible to expand its reach, with stops across Charlotte throughout the week. That includes time at The Green in uptown, Skyhouse and Pure Pizza, among others, Harris says.

He says the tuk-tuk has helped increase sales by roughly 15% in its first few months of operation; he’s already considering adding a second one.

It cost roughly half what it would have taken to invest into a second storefront, Harris adds. He declined to share specifics.

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE EBOOK ON WHY A FOOD ETUK IS BETTER THAN A FOOD TRUCK

“We sell directly to the consumer. That means we have to get pretty creative,” he says.

For Harris, Viva Raw has provided an opportunity to carve out his own business niche in the Queen City.

He started in banking and finance, but found juicing a number of years ago at a friend’s suggestion. The results led him to explore bringing it to Charlotte.

More and more people are making changes to their diet and lifestyle, with juicing becoming more common. Some customers used the products to get an extra serving of fruits and veggies in concentrated form, while others use the products for juice cleanses.

“Little by little, it’s caught on,” he says.

Article was originally posted by Jennifer Thomas – Staff Writer, Charlotte Business Journal a year ago.

TU/e Team Wins World Solar Challenge “Cruiser Class”Solar Car Race For 3rd Time

October 16th, 2017 by James Ayre

SNIPPET:

The “Cruiser Class” is the division for solar cars that could be practical in the real world — owing to seating capacity, range, etc.

Very impressively, the Eindhoven team’s solar car transported 5 people (for much of the trip) around 3,022 kilometers (1,878 miles) while only using 48 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity. The trip was completed by the team with an average of 3.4 persons per kilometer traveled.

As part of an ongoing demonstration project being funded by the California Energy Commission, Motiv Power Systems will be deploying a further 2 all-electric, zero-emissions garbage trucks in the City of Los Angeles.

This news follows the earlier deployment of California’s first all-electric refuse/garbage vehicle (ERV) in Sacramento.

The trucks headed to Los Angeles will reportedly possess a payload capacity of 9 tons and 1,000 pounds per cubic yard of compaction, and will be outfitted with battery packs of up to 212 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in size, enough to last through the work day.

Considering the great potential for all-electric garbage trucks when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution reductions — their start-stop operations and heavy weights make them ideal vehicles for regenerative braking — the news is notable. There are perhaps no other operations out there where electric vehicles stand to do so much good as with regard to garbage trucks.

New & Improved: The 2018 eTuk Limo (and you didn’t think it could get better!)

POSTED BY ETUK BLOG ON OCT 20, 2017 4:06:59 PM

ETuk USA is excited to announce its updated and upgraded 2018 eTuk Limo Model. We’re continuing our mission to raise the transportation bar by going above and beyond for our customers to create an outrageously fun and unique vehicle experience. The 2018 eTuk Limo is the perfect shuttle and tour experience with room for a driver and 6 passengers. Unlike those other modes of transportation, the eTuk Limo allows passengers to face each other; creating an in-vehicle experience that is unmatched anywhere!

Here is a snapshot of what’s new:

1. Roomier Than Ever! - With new seats and a higher roof, the new eTuk Limo offers passengers the most comfortable experience in its class.

2. Step Right In! – Our new step system makes it easier than ever to get in and out. Crawl in, crawl out whether with children, bags, drinks and more!

3. Now With Doors! – This means both easier access and better safety, plus it allows passengers to choose the safest route of entry/exit.

4. Ride In Style! – The upgraded suspension will ensure your eTuk adventure will be the smoothest ride yet!

Ready to drive the latest model? Contact us for a quote & get FREE DOORS!* A $995 value

*Hurry! This offer is only good through the end of the year.

*Middle seat can face backwards or forwards.

The Benefits of Owning an eTuk:

We don’t believe in gasoline – we never had and never will. That's why all our eTuks are (and always have been) 100% electric. But the benefits don’t stop there. Check out a few others…

Freedom: With an eTuk, you’re 100% autonomous. It’s agile, easy to drive and parking is a cinch.

Scale: Start with a big bang, or build your empire one eTuk at a time. It’s up to you!

Go the Distance: Our 12-battery system gets you further than the competition. Figuratively and literally. (up to 70 miles on a charge)

Low maintenance: The motor has less moving parts. Is it that simple? Yes, it is.

Low operational costs: Gasoline is expensive and dirty. Electricity is cheap and clean. As low as $1.62 for a full charge.

High revenue: The eTuk Limo can handle up to six passengers per ride. Compared to 5 passenger competitors, let your eTuk be the only third wheel. 3 couples? Not a problem. Passengers sitting with the driver? No way.

US DOT Compliant: You can immediately drive your eTuk on surface streets across the US.

Transportationas an Experience

Your passengers instantly connect to their surroundings, absorbing the vibe and the sound of the streets (but not the engine, that’s completely silent). The experience begins in the eTuk with all 6 passengers facing each other in the cabin, but the party begins when you jump in, and continues for the duration of your eTuk experience. With the 2018 eTuk Limo, the shuttle experience is even better. Interested in getting on the list? Contact us today and request a quote!

About eTuk USA, LLC

Headquartered in Denver, CO eTuk USA manufactures 100% electric, eco-friendly tuk tuks to suit a variety of customer needs throughout the USA. The company’s electric vehicles are well suited for a variety of applications. eTuk USA licenses the design from their partner, The Tuk Tuk Factory, and is the exclusive manufacturer and distributor of the eTuk in the United States. Check out the company’s passenger eTuks for shuttle and tour operator applications or its commercial eTuks for vending, delivery, or food truck applications.

Interested in finding out for yourself how eTuk can change the direction of your food or beverage business?

BYD is aggressively expanding around the world as it continues to add new product offerings based on its lithium-iron-phosphate technology. It has introduced new electric forklifts, medium-duty trucks, and heavy-duty trucks, and that expansion continues to gain traction with customers around the world.

This week, BYD simultaneously announced its new Midibus at the Busworld show in Belgium. At the same time, the company shared that it has already secured its first European order for the new vehicle. Connexxion has ordered 21 units of the new BYD offering, which will be deployed to the north part of North Holland. The 21 Midibuses will put into service running a daytime bus route.

BYD Midibus

The announcement highlights just how routine electric buses are becoming. The technology is well established and has been proven in routes around the world. The only game being played now is the waiting game as transit agencies and fleet managers in country after country realize just how much money they can save and how much cleaner their fleets can bewith electric buses. Both are especially pronounced in comparison to diesel buses, which clog city air with cancer-causing particulate emissions.

The order for the new 8.75 meter buses is scheduled to be fulfilled in the middle of 2018, after which the buses will immediately be put into service. The buses are equivalent to run-of-the-mill transit buses with two doors, seating for 26, and total capacity for 50 passengers.

Looking beyond BYD, this order represents one of the largest pure electric midibus orders in Europe. The order and many others like in around the world demonstrate that electric buses have truly come of age and are increasingly tackling emissions in cities.

Motivated, activist citizens around the world should see this as a flagpole in the ground that can be referred to when attempting to sway local transit authorities and fleet operators to convert fleets to electricity. Positive change does not happen on its own, but rather, it requires action. At the Climate Launchpad Grand Final last week, motivated motivational speaker Danny Kennedy laid down some Socratic wisdom about enacting change:

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The Secret of Change Is to Focus All of Your Energy, Not on Fighting the Old, But on Building the New

Be motivated, be inspired, create change.

Eric van Eijndhoven, Managing Director of Public Transport for Connexxion, said of the deal:

“We chose BYD due to its proven and leading electric bus and battery technology. We are delighted to be the first user of this important new model and know our passengers will enjoy the new levels of green performance the buses will deliver.“Electric buses are here en masseand ready to tackle pollution in cities thanks to leaders in the space likeBYD and Proterra.

The key in the future for crowded cities like Singapore may be autonomous cars and ride-sharing services. In theory, one autonomous car can replace up to 10 privately owned vehicles, which sit idle more than 90% of the time during the work day. Instead of taking up space in a parking lot, an autonomous car could be busy ferrying others from place to place all day long, greatly reducing the number of private cars needed on city streets.

The world's first railless train is tested in Zhuzhou, Central China's Hunan province, on Oct 23, 2017. The 30-meter train has three carriages and is developed by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co Ltd. The train can move at a speed of 70 km/h and can carry up to 500 passengers. Powered by electricity, the train can travel 25 kilometers with a 10-minute charge. With sensors equipped onboard, it is able to plan its own routes and operate without a driver. [Photo/VCG]

"Once they see benefits of this―not only from the riders, but also from the maintenance perspective―they come back for a second, or third, or fourth [purchase]," -- Steven Brewster, from electric bus manufacturer Proterra which is working with dozens of U.S. cities to transition their bus fleet from diesel to electric.

Sono Motors is approaching the end of a successful test drive tour of its new Sion all-electric vehicle. The tour has stopped off at 12 cities in six countries throughout Europe, and it will make its final stop in Zurich from the 24th to the 27th of October. The tour has been a great way of introducing people to the new vehicle, and in offering them the chance to take one for a test drive.

There have been quite a few videos of the cars in action published on YouTube, but our favorite is this video of the first Sion driver in Stuttgart. It runs through the main features of the car and shows what it feels like to drive.

As was unveiled in July, the Sion is the first electric car that can be recharged to a notable degree through solar power. There are 330 solar cells fitted to the exterior of the vehicle, and in good conditions they are able to provide almost 30 kilometers of additional range in addition to the 250 km range of the battery. The car is priced at €16,000, and Sono Motors has already received almost 2,500 pre-orders for the vehicles. The target is to reach 5,000 pre-orders so that the car can go into volume production, and it seems like things are on track to achieving this.

Sono Motors has also exceeded its own expectations for the crowdinvesting campaign it recently ran. The initial target of just over €1 million has been exceeded by an incredible 46%, reaching a total of €1,457,653. The company currently has a valuation of €60 million.

With the successful test drive tour, a growing number of pre-orders and a very healthy level of investment under its belt, the Sonos team dream of an affordable, mass-production, solar-powered electric car is getting close to a reality.

London’s T-Charge Now In Effect — £21.50 A Day (Total) For Old, Polluting Cars

October 30th, 2017 by James Ayre

SNIPPET:

Quote

My view is that politicians are far too slow to act, and the measures that they propose are much too far in the future to be of any relevance for today’s problems. The government talk about a vague ban on ICE vehicles in about 30 years’ time. At that time, it will be much too late, and they will not even be in power to take any responsibility for it. Such proposals are mere “window dressing”, that do not even begin to respond to the environmental crisis in which we are living today. They make it appear that an indifferent government have a commitment to improvement, which, in reality, they entirely lack.

Sadiq Khan is, commendably, introducing this measure today, with a promise of more to come. This is probably in the shortest timescale that can practically be achieved, to allow time for alternatives to be implemented. London is moving towards electric taxis and buses, and the tube trains of course are already electric. We all know that EVs are the future, but we need the future right now. Let us hope that this positive action proves to be the small pebble thrown in the mountain that causes an avalanche of beneficial change.

November 1st, 2017 by James Ayre Originally published on EV Obsession.

SNIPPET:

Nissan has now received more than 9,000 orders for the new, refreshed all-electric LEAF in Japan, a senior exec revealed on Wednesday at the Tokyo Motor Show. That figure apparently represents demand well above expectations , according to the senior exec in question.

Pre-orders are now being taken by Lightning Systems for its new all-electric LightningElectric upfit system for the Ford Transit, the company has revealed.

The new conversion offering will first be available on Ford Transits in the heavy-duty class (10,360-pound gross vehicle weight rating), with purchase available through Ford Motor Company’s eQVM program. All service and conversions are performed by Ford QVM-certified dealers and upfitters.

Altogether, the price for a conversion in the US is between $69,000 and $89,000, depending upon whether one opts for the 50-mile range or the 100-mile range. Deliveries are currently slated to begin early next year. Installation reportedly only takes a few hours time.

Varying based on the options chosen, charging with a 50 kW DC fast charger can be fully completed in under a half-hour, and payload capacity can be as high as 4,000 lbs.

As noted above, this new tool is free, and it doesn’t require registration of any kind either.

“One of the main barriers to electric vehicle uptake is simply that people are not aware of the available vehicles on the market right now,” stated Juraj Ulehla, managing partner of Voltia. “Yet this knowledge is one of Voltia’s core competencies.

If you are interested in an electric LCV we want to help you find one. This portal makes it easyfor anyone to discover and compareelectric LCVs and choose the one which meets their needs. It’s the next step in our efforts to provide the tools companies need to transitionto carbon free transportation and reduce air pollution in our communities.”

The email sent to CleanTechnica provides a bit more in the way of details: “The primary criteria users look for are range, payload, and cargo space volume, but the application also considers many other factors such as recharging abilities, road characteristics, and more.”

“There are 24 vehicles in the database as of this release, and more will be added as they become available. For a small fee, Voltia offers users a more in-depth consultation with a Voltia expert to discuss their results and next steps.”

The long years of waiting for electric vehicles (EVs) to enter the mainstream are over. One by one, the barriers to EV adoption—price, selection, range, consumer familiarity—have fallen. The vehicles are coming, and they’re coming fast.

So fast, in fact, that a lack of charging stations is increasingly being seen as the biggest impediment to continued EV adoption. How can we get ready for this tsunami of EVs?